i am on the hunt for some help......... X5 E70 2009 m sport halo ring buld........ looks like its not working but seems very very faint. the manual does not state what the bulb is eg H7 H1 etc. i have been told i have to take the wheel off along with the inner arch which seems a lot to find out what it is.

You can't get to the cover of the buld through the engine compartment.

Cheers.

Hey Mr Baldy, Guess who. Should know the name, maybe J.dog may help. Eagerly awaiting reply to this query.

j dogg!

Have a look ay www.realoem.com if you enter the last 7 digits of your vin it will bring up your cars build . Then search the lighting section it should give you the information your looking for. 

Here is the headlight, i have highlighted the current bulbs which are ok. i can not see the side light/halo light, confused!

here is the list.

just seen these on a 2008 x5????? proper confused?

?????

only the halo rings glow when the parklight is activated looks different?????

How weird that realoem doesn't mention them, it's normally my "go too" place and hasn't missed before. I run a 4.6is E53 so the lighting is very different, I modified my headlamps so I have LED Halo's as DRL's and the parking/sidelight is just that. 

Have you tried a YouTube search? just in case someone has had similar issues and posted a vid?

hi Dave, thankS for the link. i have tried youtube but no success. i have ETK AND SHOWS THE SAME PIC

I might just bite the bullet, is it easier to take the headlight out or take the wheel off and the inner arch?

Found this hope it helps 

 

And this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JgeN4Qn3T8

Why do Car manufacturers (and its not just BMW) have to make something so simple into a Krypton Factor test needing the strength of a giant in a child's hand with double jointed 3 ft fingers?????

Thanks for the info but unfortunately these lights are different. it looks like a square cover with two torx screws is where i need to get at. loads of fun! the best thing is that my fingers are like bratwurst sausages. The cover is behind what looks like some kind of plastic framework struts/supports. 

Number 6 in the above picture.

With the E53 it is a simple job to take out the headlamp unit 4 screws un-clip the trim under the lamp unit job done. The nearside unit has to come out as the power steering pump and oil filter are blocking access to the unit.

Who needs skin on their knuckles anyway !!!

As I said BMW are not alone in daft design we have a 2005 Toyota Avensis estate as a dog wagon/runaround for friends and family to use. The nearside headlamp bulb needed changing, simple enough ??? To change the bulb you just take out the headlamp, to take out the headlamp you just need to drop the front bumper ?? What a clever piece of design that is. Fortunately I then discovered that it is such an embarrassment to Toyota that if you buy the bulb from them they change it free of charge it took them 45 mins in their workshop to change a bulb and I could see 2 techs at it, how mad is that. But at least I kept my skin that time.

 

it would be no fun if it was easy!

I Have an X5 2003 and the headlight lenses are going foggy.

can the unit be replaced.

Advice please, dreading dark nights.

I hope someone can help please.

jo

Morning Jo

Welcome to the Forum

You can get headlamp lens cleaning kits that work really well the other check is the bulbs themselves. If they are getting on then their output can drop, are the dip beams Halogen or Xenon if they are Halogen they will always seem dim try changing to LED (didn't exist when I had my 4.4)

My first X5 4.4 E53 had Halogen lamps and I had to stand in front to make sure they were on !! they were terrible I upgraded to Xenon unit's brought from a specialist BMW dismantler Quarry Motors. My E53 4.6is came with Xenon lamps but they didn't seem as bright as the 4.4 so cleaned the lens's checked the lamps and they were 35w changed them to 55w same as the 4.4 brilliant

My current X5 E70 has Xenon but I am about to polish the Lens's and change the lamps as they are not as bright as they were I will also upgrade the Main beam's to LED 

Hope this helps 

Dave

How can I tell if they are halogen or xenon please?

 

quick easy way is when you turn your lights on if you have xenon discharge lights the beam on the floor will visably rise and level off.  

The xenon discharge lights are a high voltage unit so its not a simple lamp change with halogen.

On a different note if the MOT test station picks up on the lamps having been uprated to LED its an automatic fail.

If you do go LED make sure you select a lamp that won't screw around with your canbus system and report a failed lamp.

Minefield - O yes!

 

To throw a rock into Michael's minefield my 4.4 X5 had self levelling suspension and lights which were halogen originally, the E53 4.6is and my E70 are likewise equipped with self levelling air suspension and light

If you have Xenon lamps then you should have high voltage warning stickers clearly visible on them. When I upgraded the 4.4 I used complete Xenon headlight units from Quarry Motors they cam complete with all lamps.

I wasn't aware that a lamp change to LED could cause a fail at MOT been lucky there so far good information Michael

Dave